Czech Gripen Baltic Airspace Policing Encore

Four Czech air force JAS-39 Gripen fighters will take over NATO's air policing of the Baltic states on 1 September. The Gripens land at Lithuania's Šiauliai air base on 30 August, relieving Polish air force MiG-29 fighters which have been conducting the mission over the last four months. The formal handover ceremony will be held on 31 August.

Czech Ministry of Defence photo

The 64-strong Czech contingent began deploying to Šiauliai by C-295M transport aircraft on 21 August.

Czech Gripens first conducted Baltic air policing between 1 May and 31 August 2009.

The next Baltic air policing rotation will be by Danish air force F-16s starting on 4 January 2013.